In the center of the ancient city of Dingzhou, Hebei Province stands an 84-meter-high brick pagoda from the Northern Song Dynasty – the Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda. Known as the "No. 1 Pagoda of China," this building with a history of more than 1,000 years is not only the tallest existing ancient brick pagoda in China, but also a vivid witness to the integration of ancient Chinese and foreign civilizations, as well as ethnic cultures.

In 1001, during the Northern Song dynasty, Emperor Zhenzong of Song issued an edict to build the Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda. This was in response to Huineng, a monk from the Kaiyuan Temple, who traveled to Tianzhu (ancient India) to obtain Buddhist scriptures and bring back sarira, or relics. The massive project took over 50 years to complete, finally finishing in 1055. At that time, Dingzhou was located on the frontier and held great military importance. To defend against the Liao Dynasty, the Song Dynasty used the pagoda to watch for enemy movements. For this reason, it was also known as the "Liaodi Pagoda," meaning "Pagoda for Observing Enemies."

The exquisite 11-story pavilion-style structure of the pagoda not only inherits the craftsmanship of the brackets and overhanging eaves from traditional Central Plains architecture, but it also incorporates the religious symbolism of Indian stupa pagodas. Its brick carvings include realistic depictions of Buddhist statues in the style of the Central Plains, as well as traces of costumes and patterns from the Western Regions culture from ancient China, making it a model of artistic integration during the eastward spread of Buddhism. As a military watchtower on the border between the Northern Song and Liao dynasties, it transcended the distinction between religious buildings and military facilities. Amidst the military confrontation between the Song and Liao dynasties, the pagoda quietly witnessed the exchange of architectural techniques and religious beliefs between agricultural and nomadic civilizations.